Support for Mike Pettit was strong in Cambridge.
Mike and Nic Pettit wake at 4.50am and climb to the top of Maungakawa hill every morning.
Waipā mayor Mike Pettit and his wife, Cambridge Primary School deputy principal Nic Pettit on the day of Mike’s inauguration as mayor at Lake Karāpiro. Photo: Chris Gardner
“It’s a great time for us to get our own time,” Mike Pettit said. “You get up there and look over the district. Every morning’s different. We spend two or three minutes just looking out, then we turn around and trail back down with the dog.”
The pair are continuing this hour-long tradition after his transition from Cambridge Primary School principal, a job he had held for 17 years, to Waipā mayor. Nic temporarily assumed his role at the school.
His pupils were first and foremost on his mind as he was handed the mayoral chains at the council’s first meeting of this term. Looking down the livestream camera, he said: “Cambridge Primary School, Kia Ora te whanau, hopefully the children are about to go back to work.”
Big kid: School principal Mike Pettit who happily sprayed children on the water slide.
The Pettits have been working with Ministry of Education, the school board and leadership team since April to prepare for the event of his election to political office. So, the moment was prepared for.
“We went to the board and said this is what we were thinking of doing and they were very supportive,” he said. “Nic will take over at school, and the job has been advertised.”
The News observes there’s not a huge difference between being a primary school principal and a mayor.
“Very similar, in the leadership style,” he said. “I’ve been quite open about that. I’ve seen what we’ve done at Cambridge Primary School by bringing a collective group of people who believe in each other together and building a team and letting people chase their passions and talents.”
Nic began teaching at the school in 2007 and Mike followed her a year later.
Celebrating with the family, from left, Anamieke Pettit, Phoebe Pettit, Natalia Pettit, Macie Pettit, Amy Pettit, Hugo Pettit, Mike and Nic Pettit with baby Rumi Pettit, their first grandchild. Photo: Viv Posselt
They have raised six children, all of whom have been involved in sport.
“There’s only two of them left at home now,” he said.
He’s often found himself coaching sport.
“People figure you’re a teacher so you can obviously coach anything – it wasn’t the case.”
Asked what piece of advice they had for each other as they head into their new roles, he said advice he had received from a former mayor.
“The first person that says yes or no to stuff, is your wife, I won’t go into the reason why, but you can probably work it out If you’re in it for three, six, nine years,” he said.
“I thought that is a very good piece of advice. Because otherwise this thing can go probably 16 hours a day. At the end of the day, I’m married to Nic. I’m not married to my diary.”
Her reply?
“You’re not going to please everybody,” she said. “Whatever your decisions, everyone’s not going to be happy. So, take it with a grain of salt and just know what you’re doing is for the better of the district.”
Waipa’s newly-minted mayor and mayoress Mike and Nic Pettit at their first official outing. Photo: Viv Posselt
